Democratic leaders announced they have decided to postpone a vote
in the House of Representatives this week on the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA.

The announcement came several hours after the White House issued a
statement saying that senor advisers have recommended that
President Bush veto the gay rights measure if Congress were to pass
it.

ENDA supporters were quick to say the postponement had nothing to
do with the White House veto threat, but reports surfaced giving
separate reasons why House Democratic leaders chose to put off a
vote on the bill for at least one week.

Drew Hammill, press secretary for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.), issued a statement saying House Democratic leaders were
working to “develop an accurate count” of the number of House
members willing to vote for an amendment that would restore
transgender protections to ENDA.

“We do not anticipate that this process can be completed this
week,” Hammill said in his statement.

Hammill was referring to a decision by gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin
(D-Wisc), made with Pelosi’s consent, to introduce an amendment
restoring a trans inclusive provision to the bill that House
Democratic leaders took out. The leadership said it chose to move
ahead with a gay-only version of the bill after it determined there
were not enough votes to pass a trans inclusive bill.